


wait, this is actually a good thing

by brightclam



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Gen, Vampire Len, Werewolf Mick, a little bit, gen but could be seen as pre slash, mick and len are monsters but the fic is happy, protective Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-10-12 16:05:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10494510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightclam/pseuds/brightclam
Summary: The team wasn't supposed to find out their true natures, but Ray accidentally does. He takes it surprisingly calmly, and proceeds to be very enthusiastic about learning their monstrous natures. He must be missing some survival instincts.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For some reason I really like writing Mick and/or Len as supernatural creatures.
> 
> I watched the original (Bela lugosi) Dracula before I wrote this so all the vampire powers are based on that.

\----------

It's not a very well used part of the ship, a small storage room with a tiny hallway connecting it to the rest of the ship. Ray wouldn't have had a reason to go back there, except he liked exploring the ship in his free time.

 

Still, it's a shock when he comes around the corner to see Snart pressing Mick up against the wall. At first glance, he thinks they’re kissing; he wouldn't exactly be surprised.

 

Then he sees the blood. 

 

It's all over Mick’s shirt, dribbling down his neck. Snart pulls away, mouth a crimson smear, and Mick slides down the wall, gurgling, choking on his own blood. It's not a small wound, or a clean one. It's a large, probably fatal gash in his neck.

 

Ray is distracted from Mick’s potential last breaths when Snart hisses and bares his fangs at him. This isn't just a couple of fangs at the corners of his mouth. This is a full mouth of scraggly, sharp fangs.

 

He's not ashamed to say that he screams. He screams, loudly and shrilly, and runs into the wall behind him. Snart smiles, grotesque with the fangs and the blood, but familiar. He wipes at his mouth and steps forwards, eyes glowing an eerie blue.

 

Ray screams again, wishes he could get his body to move, wishes he could run away. He's so focused on Snart that he doesn't see Mick stand up.

 

“Shut up, haircut.”

 

That surprises Ray enough for his mouth to snap shut. Mick was bleeding out a few seconds ago, he shouldn't be able to scold Ray for screaming. 

 

Ray stares at his neck, where there was a gaping wound, but which is now completely intact.

 

“How?!?”

 

Mick looks at Snart. Snart shrugs and drawls:

 

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

 

Mick grunts and gestures towards Snart.

 

“Vampire.”

 

Then towards himself.

 

“Werewolf.”

 

Ray’s speechless. He's suddenly being told that supernatural creatures don't just exist, but that a couple of his teammates are monsters. Of course, his scientific curiosity latches onto the completely irrelevant part of the situation:

 

“Okay, but that doesn't explain why your neck just healed from a fatal wound.”

 

“Werewolves have sped up healing and regeneration.”

 

Before Ray can ask more about that, there's a nasty snap from where Snart is standing, like bones breaking. Ray looks over just in time to see the fangs sink back into his gums, leaving his teeth normal.

 

_ A second layer of teeth, like a shark, but retractable. Amazing! _

 

Mick brushes past him, heading down the hall. Ray runs after him, still in shock from what he's just seen. 

 

“Wait a second. You're going to drop a bombshell like that on me and just walk away?”

 

Snart smirks at him and picks up his pace to walk at Mick’s side. Ray scurries after them, not willing to let this go.

 

“Is he like, feeding off of you?”

 

“Pretty much, yeah.”

 

“Is that a symbiotic relationship? Does it hurt a lot? Can you eat garlic?”

 

“I’d call it mutually beneficial, yes it hurts as much as you'd expect. Len, can you eat garlic?”

 

Snart snorts. 

 

“Of course I can. I can also be around crosses, go out in sunlight, and sleep in a normal bed.”

 

“Wow. That seems...kinda unfair. Don't you have any weaknesses?”

 

“If I go without blood for a week I'll die.”

 

“Oh. Isn't that unsustainable though?”

 

“That's why there are barely any of us around. You either have to murder someone every week, which gets you put down quickly, or you have to work out a partnership with some other supernatural creature.”

 

“Okay, so Mick is keeping you alive? Why didn't you tell us about this before? Why haven't you used whatever powers being a supernatural creature gives you?”

 

“Would you really have believed us, haircut?”

 

“Well, once we saw the fangs and stuff it would be kinda hard to deny.”

 

“True. But this all links back to the reason we haven't used our skills for the team before: it's better not to have all your cards on the table.”

 

Mick stops suddenly and snarls at Ray:

 

“So you better keep this quiet, understand?”

 

“Okay…”

 

They go into Mick’s room, the door slamming shut behind them. Ray is left alone in the hallway, trying to reconfigure his worldview.

 

\---------

 

They're tramping through a dark, dank cave, looking for some mystical artifact. Because where else would a supervillain hide their treasure?

 

Stein says something condescending and cruel to Mick. It's not exactly strange behavior. 

 

It's not strange behavior either when the bats come pouring out of the ceiling in a fluttering, squawking swarm.

 

What is strange is that they only attack Stein. They completely ignore the other legends and focus on the professor.

 

Len watches Stein thrash and scream, eyes glowing bright blue in the darkness of the cave, a satisfied smile on his face.

 

Ray decides that this isn't a grudge he should get involved in and takes a step away from the bats. Mick does the same. The rest of the team tries to help Stein.

 

The bats stop their attack as abruptly as they began, leaving Stein a shaken, scratched up mess, but not seriously injured.

 

Snart smirks and leads the team onwards. Ray decides to be nicer to Mick from now on.

 

\--------

 

Ray is trying to run away, but that's kinda hard to do with a bullet imbedded in his thigh. It's not that serious, he’s not going to bleed out or anything, but it hurts like hell. 

 

He’s making his way down the wharf at a limping run, trying to get away from the futuristic gangsters. He wasn't able to bring his atom suit in this mission, they had scanners that would detect the advanced technology, and he's regretting that now.

 

Mick is a few feet ahead of him, his longer, uninjured legs letting him run faster than Ray. He doesn't have his gun, but Ray ducks his head and tries to catch up to him anyways. He's pretty sure Mick is going to be better at fending off gangsters than he is.

 

Ray puts on a spurt of speed to catch up to Mick. He can feel blood trickling down his leg. He presses his hand to the wound, trying to slow the bleeding.

 

Mick looks over his shoulder at him, does a double take. 

 

“You okay, pretty?”

 

“Yeah, I'm fine, just a bullet wound!”

 

He tries to smile reassuringly at Mick. Mick turns to look at their pursuers, then back at Ray.

 

And he stops running.

 

Ray skids to a stop next to him, instincts screaming at him to keep going, but unwilling to leave Mick.

 

“What are you doing?!?”

 

Mick looks at him, scarily intense. 

 

“You tell anybody about this, I’ll shave your head.”

 

“About wha—”

 

There’s a terrible noise, the crack of bones snapping and a softer noise, like fabric tearing. Where Mick used to be is a tower of muscle and fur.

 

It’s bipedal, but it’s legs joint strangely, like a dog’s rather than a human’s. It’s arms look human, except for that they’re covered in fur and the fingers are tipped with sharp claws. The torso and neck are similarly humanoid, but the head is all wolf. It’s missing patches of fur in places, which Ray would bet match up with human Mick’s burn scars.

 

It’s ears twitch towards the gangsters, then flatten against it’s head. It roars at them, revealing a mouthful of very sharp teeth. Ray flinches and takes a couple steps back. The gangsters hesitate, facing down a monster where there used to be a man.

 

Then they attack anyways; typical thug behavior. The only problem is that they start shooting. Ray yelps and hides behind Mick. He sees a couple bullets hit Mick, but isn’t that concerned. If he can heal from getting his throat torn out weekly, a few bullets aren’t going to hurt him.

 

Mick looks down at him, checking that he’s safe. His tail curls around Ray, a warning not to move. Then he launches himself at the gangsters.

 

Ray stares in awe; it doesn't seem like something that big should be able to move that quickly.But Mick does, he takes out all of the thugs before they can even realize that he’s moved. As soon as the gangsters begin to fall, blood spraying, Mick shifts back into human form.

 

He almost collapses, falling to one knee. Ray runs to him, concerned that the fight might have seriously injured him.

 

“That was amazing!”

 

Mick grunts.

 

“You owe me a whole lot of meals, pretty. I just burned a week’s worth of calories.”

 

“Is that why you don’t shift more often?”

 

“It’s hard enough eating enough to keep up with my fast healing. If I shifted every time I had to fight, I’d be dead in days.”

 

“Well, thanks for doing it now, it looked like we were in real trouble.”

 

“You’re welcome. Now help me back to the ship.”

 

\------

 

When they limp through the door of the Waverider, Snart is there to meet them. He looks at Ray’s wound and Mick’s exhausted slump critically.

 

“Run into trouble, did we?”

 

Mick nods, doesn’t say anything more. Snart’s face softens and he takes Mick’s weight from Ray. As he and Mick head down the hallway, Ray can just barely hear Snart whisper:

 

“You alright, Mick?”

 

_ Looks like our resident criminals do have hearts after all. _

 

\------

 

Ray is in the sickbay, getting his wound scanned by Gideon, when Snart comes in. The vampire leans against the corner of the doorway, watching Ray.

 

Ray pulls his palm away from the wound, hissing in pain. He stares at the blood soaking his pants for a moment. Then, a thought strikes him. He looks up at Snart.

 

“So, is this, like, making you hungry, or something?”

 

Snart smiles at him, as if he’s amused by Ray paying attention to the vampire issue.

 

Ray wonders if he’s made a mistake. Is having blood around a vampire who can’t drink it cruel? Is asking about their eating habits bad manners? Do vampires even have manners?

 

“Yes, it does look appetizing, but don’t worry. I’m not going to attack you.”

 

Ray laughs, relieved he hasn’t pissed Snart off. He may also be a little woozy from blood loss.

 

“I mean it’s already out of my body, so you can have a taste if you want?” He holds his bloodstained palm out towards Snart.

 

_ Oh fuck, what am I doing? Why did I say that. _

 

Snart laughs, a real, amused laugh, and steps forwards.

 

“You really are amazing, Ray. You aren’t scared of us at all.”

 

Ray smiles back; it’s probably the first time he’s Snart smile a happy smile at him.

 

“It’s part of being a scientist. I’m too curious for my own good.”

 

Snart stops next to the chair and swipes his fingers through the blood pooling in Ray’s palm. He sticks them in his mouth, as if he’s tasting a soup.

 

He hums, a vaguely approving noise.

 

“You taste sweet, Ray.”

 

He leaves, disappearing into the dark hallway. Ray stares after him, not sure what to think.

 

\-----------

 

A few weeks later, they're stuck in a prison cell, waiting to be hung as pirates. Mick leans against a wall, looking unconcerned. Martin paces around the cell, blabbering nervously.

 

Snart presses himself against the bars, watching the guard intently. Ray hovers at his side; Snart seems like he's planning something.

 

The guard senses the eyes on him and turns to look at Snart. Snart leans closer, pressing his face as close to freedom as possible. He stares at the guard.

 

The guard jerks, falls back a step. Then he goes very still and blank, no expression on his face. Lab smirks at him and speaks softly:

 

“Open the cell.”

 

His eyes glow blue, and his face seems to be illuminated from within, as if a white light is shining on his skin.

 

The guard pulls out the ring of keys and unlocks the cell door. Snart pushes the door open and steps out. The guard flinches and looks confused, but before he can speak, Snart knocks him out.

 

Martin stutters and bolts for the door. Mick smirks at Snart and walks out of the cell leisurely.

 

As they run down the hall, Ray leans over to Snart and whispers:

 

“How did you do that?”

 

“Eye contact allows me to control weak minded people for a short amount of time.”

 

“That's useful.”

 

Snart smiles at him, a proud, happy smile. Ray seems to be getting better at pulling real smiles from Snart.

 

\--------

 

Ray leaves the ship and wanders through the woods. They're in some national park, waiting for the engines to cool down. Snart and Mick have already wandered out to enjoy nature, and he's looking forwards to being away from the stuffiness of the ship.

 

He picks a random path and starts walking. He's got his suit in his pocket, so if he gets lost, he can just fly back. The leaves are beginning to turn, a few fluttering down to the ground in the wind.

 

He walks, picking up interesting rocks and sticks. He hasn't been able to hike in a while, but he always enjoyed it. That's really why he joined the Boy Scouts.

 

He's just crossed a creek when he comes to the clearing. The trail opens up to a rocky clearing edged with bushes and ferns. 

 

As he steps into the clearing, it takes a moment for his brain to make sense of what he's seeing. It’s Mick, but in werewolf form. He’s curled up in a fetal position, large head in Snart’s lap. Snart is gently petting the fur on his forehead, occasionally scratching behind his ears.

 

Ray stares and wonders if he should just walk away. This seems like a private moment, not something he wants to disturb. Before he can, Snart looks up at him.

 

He doesn't look irritated that Ray stumbling across them. When he gestures Ray forwards, it’s clear he's not upset at all.

 

Ray crosses the clearing slowly, trying not to make a lot of noise and wake Mick up. It seems he shouldn't have bothered; one of Mick’s eyes has opened to watch him.

 

They're big, and predator intense, but also beautiful. They're a deep, dark brown in the shade. When the sunlight hits them, they glimmer a warmer, reddish brown.

 

Ray makes it to them and fidgets a moment, unsure if he should sit. Snart pats the mossy ground next to him, a clear invitation. Ray eases his way down, sitting cross legged.

 

He's so close he can feel Mick’s breath brushing across his knees. He stares in awe, at the giant, deadly monster calmly being cuddled.

 

Snart pulls his hand out of the fluffy fur around Mick’s neck.

 

“You want to pet him?”

 

Ray starts and swallows nervously 

 

“Is he okay with that?”

 

The werewolf huffs and pushes his head deeper into Snart’s lap, closer to Ray. His tail begins to wag, stirring up dust and leaves. It's as clear an invitation he can give without words.

 

Ray reaches out hesitantly, fingers barely brushing Mick’s fur. The werewolf huffs again, impatiently, and presses his hand into’s Ray’s palm, like a cat. Ray runs his fingers through the soft fuzz of his forehead.

 

“He's so soft!”

 

“He's less fuzzy on the body, once you get to the overcoat. But his head and the ruff on his neck is a soft as can be.”

 

Mick yawns, baring his large fangs. His tail wags lazily,  _ thump-thump-thump. _ They spend a few minutes in peaceful silence, petting Mick and watching the leaves fall.

 

Ray’s comm crackles to life, breaking the silence. 

 

“We're ready to go, Ray, whenever you are.”

 

Snart leans over to whisper in Mick’s ear. He whines, but shifts back to human form. His head is still in snart’s lap, and he turns to look up at his face, a bright smile on his face.

 

_ Have I seen mick smile before? In a way that wasn't ill intentioned? I don't think I have. _

 

Snart smiles down at Mick and pats him on the shoulder.

 

“Come on, lets go back to the ship and get some food into you.”

 

Mick groans and stretches, then stands up. He gives Snart a hand up and extends one to Ray as well.

 

“Coming, Pretty?”

 

Ray takes it, brushing leaves off of his pants. They walk back to the ship together, quietly discussing what the best season is. Ray picks fall, Mick picks spring, and Snart picks winter, because of course he does.

 

\---------

 

They've landed in a disaster zone. It’s empty of all people, Rip says. They wander out into the wreckage.

 

Ray follows Snart and Mick; they're carrying duffle bags and he’s curious what they're up to. Their purpose becomes obvious as Mick smashes a jewelry store window.

 

Ray doesn't stop them; there won't be people back here for years, so it's not like they're hurting anyone. He follows them in the window, watching them inspect the jewelry cases.

 

To his surprise, they don't grab indiscriminately. They pick and choose, and not apparently based on value, as Snart skips a giant diamond that must be worth a fortune.

 

Ray wanders until he finds a piece that interests him. It’s a delicate gold chain, with a solid gold honeybee charm. He pulls it out and holds it out to Snart.

 

“What about this one.”

 

Snart barely gives it a glance.

 

“It's cute, but we don't wear gold.”

 

_ They're not just stealing, they're shopping. _

 

“Why don't you wear gold?”

 

Snart holds a silver pendant up to his neck.

 

“I don't wear it because silver looks better on me.”

 

Ray can see that; the steely glint of the silver makes his eyes look colder, more intense.

 

“Okay, that makes sense. But if you wear silver and Mick wore gold, wouldn't that fit the fire and ice thing you've got going on?”

 

Mick leans over Ray’s shoulder to look at something in the case, startling him. 

 

“I wear silver because it’s ironic.”

 

“Ironic?”

 

Snart smirks at Mick as he rifles through the case.

 

“Silver is the only thing that can kill a werewolf.”

 

“Wait! Mick wears silver because it hurts him?!?”

 

“Calm down, Boy Scout. The jewelry won't hurt him. Silver can hurt a werewolf, but that doesn't mean it has to.

 

It’s more like silver is the only thing that werewolves aren't immune to, but you still have to use it as a weapon. If you made a silver bullet, or a silver knife, or just used a chunk of silver to beat a werewolf to death, then that would work. But the silver doesn't just magically make them die when they touch it.”

 

“Still, purposely wearing something that can kill you...that's pretty hardcore.”

 

Mick pauses in his looting.

 

“Thanks, Pretty.”

 

Ray turns back to the cases, looking them over with new eyes.

 

“So, no gold.”

 

By the time Mick and Len are done, he’s picked out two silver necklaces, one for each of them. 

 

Len’s is a low hanging, heavy thing, with long, rectangular plates of silver. It kinda looks like armor. Ray picked it because it’ll work really well with the cut of the jackets he always wears.

 

Mick’s is higher hanging, falling around the collarbones. It’s an intricate rope made out of chains, which are made out of tiny rings. It's very heavy, and has the largest amount of silver he could find.

 

When he presents the necklaces to them, they seem flattered. They give him matching smiles that seem both proud and affectionate.

 

As they walk back to the ship, Mick pulls bracelets out of his bag, wrapping them around Ray’s wrists. He thinks it’d be funny if the atom went into battle adorned with jewelry.

 

Snart jokes that Ray should get his ears pierced so that he can wear the giant, dangling earrings he’s got in his bag. Ray shivers; those things stretch your ears out so much!

 

All teasing aside, they seem intent upon covering him in jewelry, and legitimately interested in his preferences. They'll pull a piece out, hold it up, and look for his reaction.

 

Once they get back to the ship, they disappear into their rooms to count their loot. Ray wanders back to his room, arms still covered in bracelets.

 

He doesn't get his ears pierced, but he does incorporate his two favorite bracelets into the bracers of his suit. 

 

And, next time they have to dress up for a mission, Snart and Mick both wear the necklaces he gave them. They wear them every other time after that as well.

 


	2. discoveries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *me, sweating as I stare at this story*: Mick...is a furry...
> 
> Just a quick note: I don't see the coldatomwave in this as romantic/sexual, I see it as queerplatonic, and I think kisses can be platonic, but if you're free to interpret this chapter any way you want.
> 
> tw: blood, slight gore, temporary character death, drinking (but no underage drinking)

\--------

Ray has gotten himself shot  _ again. _ But this time it isn't with a bullet, and it isn't in the thigh. It was a energy blast, and it’s blown a hole in his chest.

 

He hasn't looked down to check, but he knows it's hit a lung, because he's coughing up blood.

 

He hears footsteps and then Mick and Len are there. He’s glad; dying alone sounds terrible. And they would have been the ones he would have wanted to say goodbye to the most, anyways, so that works out well.

 

Mick is cursing, then he shifts into his towering werewolf form and runs off to where Ray can't see. His vision is turning dark around the edges; that's probably not good.

 

Then Snart is leaning over him, blue eyes intense as always but no longer calm. He looks scared. Before Ray can process that raw emotion, he’s pulled into a kiss. It's short and desperate, messy with all the blood he’s coughing up.

 

He grins at Snart. Even when he’s dying, he can't resist a joke.

 

“Did you do that because you wanted to kiss me or because I’ve got a mouthful of blood?”

 

Snart laughs, a weak noise, and his eyes are still sad.

 

“A little of both.”

 

Ray isn't really that upset with this turn of events; the pain is turning to numbness now and he isn't coughing up as much blood.

 

Snart notices that he’s increasingly lethargic and leans in again, back to his cold, angry self.

 

“But I need you to listen to me, Ray. This is important. Do you want to live?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“At any cost?”

 

“Anything.”

 

Len leans in closer, pressing their chests together, head falling against Ray’s shoulder. Ray can feel his breath on his neck. 

 

“Stay still, I’ll try to make this quick.”

 

There's the familiar bone snap of his teeth sliding out, way too close to Ray’s ear. Even in his damaged state, his body jumpstarts in fear. He jerks, body instinctively thrashing to get away from the predator.

 

Then there’s agony and tearing and screaming. There’s tears slipping down his cheeks and he thought the pain was gone but instead it's back with a vengeance. Finally, mercifully, he blacks out.

 

\----------

 

Mick and Len give him the choker when he wakes up. It's the perfect size to hide the slowly healing slit in his neck, and it matches the necklaces he got them.

 

He wears it proudly. Constantly. Eventually, the team takes notice. 

 

It doesn't come up until he, and Nate are getting drunk off of authentic vodka stolen last mission, Jax watching with amusement.

 

Nate leans forward, wobbling, and paws at the choker.

 

“What's up with the matching necklaces, dude? If you were gonna do a friendship necklace I would have thought you'd have done it with me.”

 

Ray laughs, excited to tell this story.

 

_ He is not gonna believe this. _

 

“We went looting together. But that's not where it started.”

 

Nate and Jax lean in, sensing a good story.

 

“Okay so I'm just wandering the ship, right. I find this tiny hallway. And Len just fucking rips open Mick’s neck. Blood everywhere, man. It was nasty.”

 

Nate leans away from him. Jax peers at his face. 

 

“I think you've had too much, Ray. You're not making sense.”

 

“No, no it will. listen.”

 

Ray flaps his hands at them and they settle back down, uneasily.

 

“Turns out Len is a vampire, using Mick as like a blood bag, but it's okay because mick is a werewolf, so he can heal from the wounds.”

 

Nate and Jax share a look, but don't interrupt him again.

 

“But Len, when he sees me, because he's an over dramatic asshole—you guys have noticed that right?—he doesn't try to calm me down or anything. Instead, he bares his fangs at me and  _ hisses.  _ Fucking hisses. Vampires don't even hiss, traditionally! He just wanted to be creepy!

 

Anyways I freaked out but by then Mick had recovered and calmed me down, filled me in. That's how I learned what they were. 

 

But then, on that one mission with the space gangsters? I got shot, right? Well they were gonna get me but Mick transformed into his werewolf form and killed them all! He’s actually really nice though, he lets us pet him. And he's soft!”

 

“Alright, Ray. I think it's time for you to go to sleep.”

 

They get up and start approaching him like he's an infirm old man and they're his nurses.

 

“No, no! You haven't heard the best part yet. The reason I've got the necklace is because Len turned me! I'm a vampire now!”

 

Jax turns to straight up disbelief.

 

“Yeah, sure.”

 

Nate tries to use logic on him.

 

“Why don't you have fangs, then?”

 

“Well, first of all, they're retractable so you wouldn't see them unless the vampire wanted you to.” 

 

Second of all, I'm not a full vampire. I'm like a lesser vampire, I guess. If he had turned me all the way then Mick would have had to feed two of us. I don't have to drink human blood, I can just drink animal blood instead. I don't get any cool powers, but I do get the eternal lifespan, so…”

 

“So what you're saying is you're a vampire, but you can't show us any proof.”

 

“You're right. I can't show you any proof. But Len can.”

 

He ends up dragging Nate and Jax down the hall. Nate giggles, sloshing vodka across the walls. Jax frowns at them, having unwillingly become the chaperone for the trip.

 

Ray knocks on Len's door. As soon as he opens it, his face falls into the “what have you done now” face. Ray waves at him. 

 

“Len, can we see your teeth?”

 

Len's sighs and rubs at his eyes.

 

“You told them, didn't you.”

 

They obviously don't believe it yet, but they'll be on the watch now. Once the seed is planted, it will grow.

 

“They asked about the necklace! Pleaaaaseeee…”

 

“Fine.”

 

He opens his mouth. A second later his second set of teeth snap out.

 

Jax and Nate freeze. Nate shrieks and takes off down the hall. Ray laughs at him. Snart snaps the fangs back into his gums.

 

“Happy now?”

 

Jax is staring at Len with concern.

 

“That is  _ disgusting _ , man.”

 

Nate peeks around the corner he's taken shelter behind, face pale.

 

“H-holy fuck. Snart is a monster.”

 

Then he darting towards Ray, skidding to a stop. He starts patting Ray’s chest, as if looking for wounds.

 

“Ray, buddy, are you okay? What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?”

 

Ray smiles, touched by Nate’s concern.

 

“I'm fine, Nate. He saved my life, he didn't hurt me.”

 

Nate glares at Len with distrust. A sleepy looking Mick joins Len at the doorway, peering out at them.

 

“Having a drinking party? You should've let me know, pretty.”

 

“Sorry, Mick. It was kind of spontaneous.”

 

Len takes the opportunity to grouch.

 

“And he told them about us.”

 

Mick is unphased.

 

“Is that's why I heard screaming earlier?”

 

“Yeah, Nate wasn't a big fan of the teeth thing.”

 

Nate gasp sdramatically and points at Mick.

 

“You're a werewolf!”

 

Jax jumps in, excited:

 

“Can we see you transform?”

 

“Only if you're gonna make me food afterwards.”

 

“I think I can do that.”

 

He shrugs and steps into the hallway. He motions for them all to take a step back. Ray quickly pulls Nate and Jax back, and Len retreats into his room.

 

There’s the strange noises again, bones breaking and flesh tearing, and Mick’s werewolf form is standing the hallway. He’s so tall he’s forced to hunch over, shoulders brushing the ceiling.

 

Nate and Jax stare, mouths hanging open. Mick’s head turns towards them and he sniffs, ears twitching towards them. Ray cheers and runs towards him. Mick’s head thunks down on his shoulder and his tail starts wagging.

 

Jax claps and Nate giggles.

 

“He’s a furry!”

 

Ray frowns.

 

“What?”

 

Nate’s about to repeat himself when Mick snarls, baring his fangs. Ray flinches back, still not used to how large and dangerous Mick’s werewolf form is. Nate takes the hint and quickly shuts his mouth.

 

Jax grins at Mick and gestures down the hallway towards the kitchen.

 

“I guess I really do owe you now. Lead the way!”

 

Mick lumbers down the hall, careful not to bump his head on the ceiling. Nate and Jax run in front of him, excitedly tugging him along. Len and Ray bring up the rear, considerably more calmly.

 

As they stumble into the kitchen, Sara looks up from where she's standing next to the coffee pot. The group freezes. Sara takes in the giant anthropomorphic wolf and then goes back to pouring herself a cup of coffee.

 

Nate inches forwards, onto the tile, unsure.

 

“Um...is there a reason you're not freaking out?”

 

Sara looks up at him, unimpressed, and takes a sip of her coffee.

 

“Is there a reason I should be?”

 

Nate fumbles for words for a moment, then gives up and just waves his hands at Mick.

 

Sara looks him over.

 

“It's a werewolf. I don't know which of the team it is, but other than that, I don't know what you expect me to be surprised about.”

 

Nate gapes.

 

“You mean you knew about werewolves?”

 

She raises an eyebrow at him.

 

“You mean you didn't?”

 

“Oh course I didn't! They're not supposed to exist!”

 

Sara smirks at him and starts to leave the room, bumping him with her hip as she passes him.

 

“Spend some time in the criminal underworld and you'll see lots of them.”

 

She nods to the werewolf as she squeezes past him, out the door. Nate watches her go, still flabbergasted. Jax sighs.

 

“Now I feel like the weird one for being surprised.”

 

Mick grunts and pushes his way through the doorway, taking up most of the kitchen. Then, he shrinks back to human form. Len quickly hands him his clothing while Nate shrieks and covers his eyes.

 

Jax shakes his head at them and starts pulling out pans. Once he’s made up the most beautiful pancakes Ray’s ever seen, they all settle down to eat. Even Len, who rarely eats food, tries some. Ray smiles at the group of people gathered around the table, struck by how beautiful his friends are.

 

\--------

 

Stein, despite having learned Mick's secret through his mind link with Jax, still freaks out the first time he shifts on the battlefield.

 

The team, other than Mick, has to divert their attention from fighting, which is okay because Mick’s doing just fine on his own, in order to calm the screaming professor. Their ears are sore by the time they get him to calm down.

 

\------

 

Ray gapes as he stares at the mass of fur in the lounge. Amaya sits in the middle, Mick’s werewolf form wrapped around her, asleep. 

 

“How? We didn't tell you yet.”

 

She smiles at him, slyly, and raises a finger to her lips in a shushing motion. Her eyes flash gold, pupils turning into slits. The pendant hanging around her neck glows faintly.

 

“Did you really think I wouldn’t sense the wolf inside of him?”

  
Ray sighs; he really should have thought of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of writing a third, angsty, not necessary to read but fun if you love suffering chapter to go along with this.


	3. maybe, maybe not

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is really just a what if that I couldn't get out of my head. It doesn't have to be canon for this story if you don't want it to be. It's kinda angst and sad, and it ends bittersweetly.

\-------

All of their loved ones are dead. 

 

Sara goes to visit her great great great grandchildren in star city, sometimes, but she's the only one who bothers.

 

There are still superheroes, flashes and arrows who've had the legacy passed down to them. In fact, the superheroes have only increased, justice leagues and countless other teams forming. The legends would still be welcome in the hero’s circles, if they wanted. But visiting earth hurts too much, reminds them of what they've lost.

 

If they had thought it through, they would have been able to save their families. It would have been simple: turn them too, give them eternal life. Of course, a vampire must ask permission before turning someone, but would their family have refused to turn and left them to an eternity of loneliness? Most likely not.

 

But they had rushed into it, drunk on the promise of immortality. They had cavorted through time, relishing their new abilities. Their team had become so much stronger, so much more efficient. Wounds healed without Gideon, they could strike faster than the human eye could see, they could terrify their enemies into submission. They glory in their new strength.

 

In the blink of an eye, a human lifespan has passed. They came home to find their families dead and buried.

 

So they became isolated, roaming the time stream. It’s more crowded now, speedsters and independent time travelers popping up everywhere. They're alright with that: gives them something to do. They mostly hunt these time criminals now, though sometimes they do have to fix aberrations.

 

For better or for worse, they are the eternal guardians of time, the legends that will never die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that wasn't too sad, you can ignore it if you want

**Author's Note:**

> I was thinking of writing a more shippy addendum to this where Ray gets turned by Len but idk. If people like this I will.


End file.
